Collapsible cup or tray.



A. P. SALSTRM.

GO-LLAPSIBLE OUP 0R TRAY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1910.

1,015,085. s Patented Jan. 16, 1912.V

f/fyf v 6@ 7 A lf3/@- Axe @26d-rom Barni imo.i

AXEL F. SALSTROM, F PAXTON, ILLINOIS.

COLLAPSIBLE CUP uOIR, TRAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Y Be it known that I, AXEL F. SALsTRoM, a` citizen of the, UnitedStates, residing at Paxton, in the county of Ford and State -ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Iin-I provenients in CollapsibleCups or lrays, of which the following is a speciticatinn. This inventionrelates to a collapsible cup or tray which may be employed for drinkingpurposes, but is especially designed for the -use of plasterers,painters or other artisans,

as a convenient receptacle in which plaster.

ofl Paris, paints and other substances may be mixed for emergency use.or for special :work where a limited amount/bf the material is required.

The object of the invention `is to provide aI simple, common, cheap andeiiicientdevice of this character, a number of wliich may be compactlycarried for use,.and which may embody means for supporting it in anerect position.

The invention consists of tlie features ofl construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and v claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is avplan view of the blank from which the cup'or tray is made. Fig. 2 is aperspective view' of the cup or tray formed from the blankand providellWith supporting means. Fig. 3 is a View of the clip.

Fig. 4 is -a View of one of the supporting legs. Fig. 5 is a .view of amodified construction of supporting leg. Fig. 6 is a View,

showing a modified form of means for holding the flap closed. Fig. 7 isa View showing another form of means for holding the flap `closed. Y-The cup or tray l is of conical form, and composed of any suitableflexible material, tar paper, waxed paper, or other preferred waterproofmaterial being employedwlien the cup is designed to be used for drinking,f5 purposes or mixing wet materialsf Heavy paper, saturated with tar,pitch or other similar substances designed tofaiford rigidity and at thesame time render the cup waterproof, may be used in the construction ofthe cup Where heavy materials, such as plaster of Paris and water, areto be mixed therein. l Y

The cup. is produced vfrom the form of blank la shown ,in Fig. 1, saidblank being of circular outline and scored or creased radially ondivergent lines 2 and 3 from Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16,1912.

Application filed August 5, 19'10. Serial N o. 575,750.

the center thereof at one side of the blank. On these scoredor creasedlines the intervening portion of the blank may be folded to provide atriangular flap 5 overlapping the outer surfaces of the cup, as shown in4the complete article illustrated in Fig. 2. In the production of thecup from the form of blank shown, the blank is first dished and theportion et then folded iii the iiiaiiiier described, whereupon a conicalform will be imparted to the dished blank, as will be readilyunderstood.

In order tohold the cup iii form and prevent opening of the triangular`iap any suitable means for holding the Hap in closed condition may beemployed. In the present instance, I have shown 'the use of a springDclip 6 formed of wire bent'iiito coiled forni vtn produceoppositely-arranged bearing poi'- tions or Jars and 8.- This clip may beslipped onto the cup so as to embrace the Wallof the body thereof andthe plies of the triangular flap 4with tliespring aws bearing againstthe outer surfaces of said parts. by which the flap will be held inclosed position. The cup will then be held from collapse, but may bereadily opened out fiat as will be understood. A' number of thecompletely formed cups may be nested and packed in close compass forstorage or transportatiomor, if desired, a pad of the blanks may beformed for transportation within a minimum storage space and the cupsformed therefrom as occasion requires.

The cup thus constructed may be used as a drinking cup, or it may beemployed for holding or mixing any of the aforementioned or similarmaterials therein, the edge of the cup forming a convenient surfaceagainst which the mixing tool or implement may be scraped to removetherefrom any surplus material adheringtliereto. If desired, suit-ablemeans may be employed for supporting the cup in an erect position forconvenience in mixing the materials therein, or in holding any suitablematerial wliile it is being used for any kind of work. As illustrated inF igs and ai, I employ a series of supporting legs 9 formed of wire and'having pointed lower ends 10 to enter or impinge aga-inst a board orother surface to hold the cup firmly supported. The upper end of each ofthese legs is bent to form a coiled spring clamp il which may be engagedwith t-lie edge of the cup, said clamps being arranged at a proper angleof inclination to the body portions of the legs so that the latter willextend outward at the necessary angle to hold the cup supported. In Fig.5, I have shown another form oi support-ing leg 12 made of sheet metaland bent at its upper end to provide a hooked clip 13 to engage the edgeof the cup. The legs of this form may be employed in lieu of those ofthe construction shown in Figs. 1 and 4, if desired.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown other ty es of means for holding thetriangular ihp closed. In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the Wall ofthe cup carries a spring stud 14, and the triangular flap carries aspring socket 16 to interlock With the stud, by 'which the flap may beheld closed. In Fig. 7, a retaining strip 17 is secured at one end tothe flap and is provided at its free end With a button-hole 18 to engagea button 19 on the Wall of the cup, by which the flap may be heldsecurely in closed condition.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode of use of myimproved cup or tray Will be readily understood, and it will be seenthat it provides a simple and cheap construction of article of thecharacter described Which is susceptible of any of the general usesspeciied, and may be employed for `other analogous purposes. Theconvenience of providing means for supporting the cup in an erectposition Will be readilyunderstood and appreciated.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. A device of the character described comprising supporting legsarranged at points around the cup, said legs being provided at theirupper ends With coiled spring clips bent laterally at an angle theretoand engaging the rimedge of the cup.

2. A device of the character described comprising a substantiallyconical cup, and supportin legs arranged at points around the cup andextending below the apex of the cup, saidlegs being provided attheir-upper ends with clips bent at an angle corresponding to theangleof inclination of the wall of y the cup and engagingthe rim edge of saidcup..

in presence of two Witnesses. r

V AXEL F. SALSTROM. Witnesses:

METER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

a substantially conical cup, and

In testimony whereof I affix my signature

